UPDATE: Sure enough, it was confirmed at Disney Investor Day 2020 that Harrison Ford will indeed return as Indiana Jones in the fifth installment of the series, which they say will film next spring. Hurrah!
Original Story:
Over the years, we've seen multiple actors play iconic characters such as Batman, Superman, and James Bond, but there's only been Indiana Jones, and that's Harrison Ford. The actor has played the adventurer/professor on the big-screen in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and he's currently slated to reprise the role for a fifth installment of the franchise.
As Indiana Jones 5 has experienced numerous delays and Harrison Ford definitely isn't getting any younger, it's only inevitable that we'll see another actor take on the role, but producer Frank Marshall spoke with Den of Geek to reassure fans that Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones.
Yeah, we are working on the script. There will only be one Indiana Jones and that’s Harrison Ford. What I’m excited about with Jim is a great story. I think you see that in his movies like Ford Vs Ferrari. It’s all about characters and telling a good story. So I’m excited to see what he comes up with. I haven’t seen (the script) yet so I don’t know what to tell you.
While Steven Spielberg had been attached to direct Indiana Jones 5, he stepped down earlier this year, saying that he wanted to "pass along Indy's whip to a new generation to bring their perspective to the story." James Mangold (Logan) stepped in to replace him.
Although many have confirmed that Indiana Jones 5 will feature Harrison Ford as the title character, it's only a matter of time before we see someone new step into the role. Former Disney CEO Bob Iger told THR back in 2016 that they're definitely considering what comes next when it comes to Indy. "Right now, we’re focused on a reboot, or a continuum and then a reboot of some sort," Iger said. "Well, we’ll bring him back, then we have to figure out what comes next… We [got] Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in the film. But then what’s the direction? I’ve had discussions about what the direction is, [but] I don’t want to get into it. I don’t think it reaches the scale of the universe of Star Wars, but I see making more. It won’t be just a one-off." Indiana Jones 5 is currently slated to hit theaters on July 29, 2022.